All too often the more ornate and affordable Katana designs out there are let down by stainless stee blades. But these are no mereornaments. The1045 carbon blade of this sword has been differentially hardened to produce a genuine hamon temper line - and combined with the solid bodied blade geometry, makes for a surprisingly strong and extremely attractive sword whose appearance belies its humble price point. While the blade and fittings are visually appealing, it culminates in the attractive and durable art saya (sheathe) depicting a battle scene with blood red roses at its base. Unlike most saya at this price point (which are made from the cheapest, usually poorly fitting, wood available), the next generation of PVC plastic saya fit like a glove, do not shrink or expand with changes in temperature and barometric pressure and are scratch and crack resistant - making these saya head and shoulders above any other saya on a sword at this kind of price pointand allows for a super clear and vibrant image.